MLAs Tony Luck and Sharon Hartwell Call for Return of Auditor General of Local Government Following CFIB Report
Conservative Official Opposition Municipal Affairs Critic Tony Luck and Rural Communities Critic Sharon Hartwell say a new Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) report underscores the urgent need to restore independent oversight of municipal spending in British Columbia. “The CFIB report makes it clear that small businesses and taxpayers are losing confidence in how municipalities manage their finances,” said Luck. “For too long, local governments have operated without meaningful accountability. It’s time to bring back the Auditor General of Local Government — this time properly structured under the Auditor General of BC so we get results without creating a new bureaucracy.” The CFIB report paints a troubling picture of municipal finances across the province: rising operating costs outpacing inflation, wage and benefit growth in local government far exceeding the private sector, and a lack of transparency that leaves taxpayers in the dark. Business owners told CFIB th...